Mar 21, 2023 | Pest Control
Spiders are often found in secluded areas where they are rarely disturbed. Your home offers the perfect place to hunker down during the winter and provides them with food, shelter, and even a mate.
Spiders feed off other insects, so they can be beneficial for you over time. If you do begin seeing an influx of other insects, it might mean you have a higher population of spiders as well. Your home offers warmth, which is what these overwintering pests are really in search of once winter hits. They will also enter your home due to how easy it can be for them. Any crack, crevice, or opening is an invitation for these pests to enter your home.
Spiders can be considered a form of natural pest control but can be unsightly if discovered in your home. Check out these tips to keep spiders out of your home:
- Clear Clutter: Messy environments create the perfect oasis for spiders. Be sure to keep clutter at bay to lessen the chances of a hiding spider.
- Seal Doors and Windows: Monitor the exterior of your home for any potential openings and get this fixed as soon as you can. It won’t only keep spiders out, but also any other household pests.
- Trim Bushes: Keeping hedges, tree limbs, or any other plant trimmed away from your home will make it more difficult for these arachnids to gain access to your home.
- Inspect Items: Before bringing any outdoor items inside, inspect them for any hiding pests.
If you suspect a spider problem, then reach out to your local pest control company for a free inspection today!
Jan 6, 2023 | Pest Control
It’s a common myth that spiders come into our homes to overwinter until spring. In actuality, they most likely were already there to begin with. These household pests are more active in fall and early winter for two main reasons: they are preparing winter and the upcoming scarcity of food and they are mating and in search of a partner to reproduce with.
House spiders take up residence in your home year-round. Spiders can be beneficial to have around as a form of natural pest control as they eat other insects (even other spiders) found around your house.
One exception to this is the brown recluse spider. They will seek warmth and food indoors in the winter by hiding out in dark, unused areas of your home. Brown recluses are identified by the distinct violin-shaped mark on their back. They will bite and are considered harmful to humans.
You can prevent spiders in your home by:
- Checking your foundations for cracks and repairing them immediately.
- Checking windows and doors each season. Repairing any cracks and check seals.
- Decluttering, especially in basements, attics, closets, and pantries; this limits the places they can hide.
- Vacuuming and dusting frequently, especially in rooms that are seldom used.
- Checking any items before bringing them indoors, including pets, firewood, plants, boxes, decorations, etc.).
- Investing in routine pest control. Eliminating other pests limits food sources for spiders, leaving them to search other places for a meal.
If you have an issue with spiders, contact your local pest control company for an inspection.
You May Also Be Interested In:
When Does Swarming Season Begin?
Should I Worry About Cockroaches?
What Types of Grasses Work for My Georgia Lawn?
4 Types of Termite Control
Which Season is Worst for Bed Bugs?
Aug 19, 2022 | Florida Pest Control
Bonita Springs Pest Control: Spider Identification & Prevention
Creepy, crawly, and usually unwanted in our homes, spiders will often infest, looking for a nice place to inhabit. Most spiders that homeowners come across are harmless, but it’s always a good idea to stay on top of the spiders in your area to help prevent them. Check out our list of the top 3 common spiders you can find in Bonita Springs.
Black Widows
Black widows are one of the most venomous spiders in North America. These spiders are shiny black, with the female displaying a red hourglass-shaped mark on the underside of the abdomen. You can find black widow spiders outdoors under rocks, boards, or even in or around old buildings. These spiders tend to hunt by day and hide at night in their web. Luckily, they are not aggressive, and their bites only occur because of accidental contact. If bitten, common symptoms include redness, swelling at the site of the bite, nausea, and sometimes paralysis.
Wolf Spider
Wolf spiders are fairly large and hairy with a pattern of black, gray, and brown coloring. While they often frighten people with their looks, they are non-venomous and will only bite if provoked. These creatures do not spin webs to catch their prey but instead, hunt at night or wait to ambush while hiding under debris or burrowing. You can usually find these spiders on the ground, where they can camouflage their hairy bodies under leaf litter, rocks, and logs. If they find their way indoors, they like to stay close to the floor and are active in dim light.
Brown Widow
One of the main types of venomous spiders in Bonita Springs is the brown widow. These spiders are slightly smaller than the black widow, grey to brown in color, and have a yellow hourglass marking under the abdomen. Brown widows are often found under rocks and logs but can adapt to human environments too. If they find their way inside, you can often find them in empty containers, entryway corners, under eaves, in cluttered storage closets, or any area that has been undisturbed for a long period. These spiders bite in self-defense, causing symptoms including swelling, nausea, vomiting, and high blood pressure.
To avoid these spiders entering your home, implement the following spider prevention tips:
- Keep your storage areas, garages, and basements clutter-free
- Avoid leaving your clothes and shoes on the floor; spiders will often hide inside them
- Seal any open gaps or holes leading inside the home
- Call your local Bonita Springs pest control company to perform an inspection and provide you with a treatment and prevention plan
Jun 23, 2022 | Pest Control
Spiders are considered year-round pests, but they seem to come out in full force during the summer months. Some common spiders you may encounter this summer include wolf spiders, orb weavers, garden spiders, house spiders, brown recluse spiders, and black widow spiders. While most of these are harmless, brown recluses and black widows can be dangerous to humans with their venomous bites.
The spiders you see in the summer most likely aren’t just now making their way into your home; there’s a good chance they’ve already been hiding out inside for a while. They will commonly emerge in large numbers in the summer for two main reasons:
- It’s mating season for male spiders
- It’s peak season for most of their food sources (mosquitoes, flies, ants)
Seeing a spider here and there inside your home is usually nothing to worry about; they can sneak in through open windows, doors, etc. Seeing them in large numbers, however, can indicate a much bigger problem. Spider infestations can be the result of:
- Weather. Summer weather is ideal for spiders with warm temperatures, adequate shelter, etc. If the weather gets too hot, spiders will seek relief, often inside your home. The same thing applies if the summer is overly dry or overly wet. Your home provides the perfect place to hide out until conditions outdoors improve.
- Food. If food sources outdoors become scarce (due to weather or consistent pest control around your home), spiders may make their way indoors on their search for nutrition. Conversely, if you have an infestation of other household pests that spiders like to eat, they will also come inside to take advantage of the all-you-can-eat buffet.
- Water. Spiders must have water to survive. If outdoor water sources dry up (due to drought, etc.), they will go in search of hydration indoors.
Having a spider infestation in your home can leave you with webs everywhere, the risk of spider bites that can be painful and potentially dangerous, and the possibility of other pest infestations, as well. You can keep spiders out by:
- Eliminating Entry Points. Spiders can access your home through the smallest cracks and crevices. Use weatherstripping around doors and windows and make sure it is kept in good repair. Caulk or seal any gaps, holes, and openings. Use screens on doors and windows and make sure they stay in good repair, as well.
- Eliminating Hiding Places. Spiders prefer dark, undisturbed places to hide out (corners, cabinets, closets, storage containers, piles of paper or cardboard, and cluttered areas). Declutter your home and get rid of any old papers, magazines, newspapers, and boxes. Shake out anything you haven’t used in a while before using it. Vacuum and dust regularly, especially rooms and areas that you don’t use often. Outside, trim overgrown bushes, hedges, and trees. Keep grass mowed short and mow regularly. Get rid of trash and debris in your yard that spiders can use for shelter. Store firewood and lumber away from your home.
- Eliminating Food Sources. Spiders eat other pests. Maintain routine pest control in and around your home with a professional pest control company. Eliminating other pests mean spiders will look for food elsewhere.
If you have a problem with spiders, contact your local pest control company for a thorough inspection and treatment plan.
You May Also Be Interested In:
Keep Cool This Summer
What Are Red Bugs?
Controlling Birds During the Summer Months
Summer Wildlife Removal: Common Home Invaders
Don’t Let The Bed Bugs Bite!
Oct 27, 2021 | Pest Control
Nothing says “Halloween” like spotting a few cobwebs around the house! While it’s always fun to see cobweb decorations during this time of year, it’s not as fun having to deal with them year-round. Since the temperatures have cooled off, many spiders are looking indoors to inhabit a warmer environment. It’s important to understand common types of spiders in order to provide the best treatment if they’ve infested your home.
Brown Recluse
The brown recluse spider is light to dark brown, with a signature brown violin shape on its backs. If threatened, these spiders will bite, which can be painful and leave an open sore. If bitten, some can experience fever, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping. Brown recluse spiders can be found in debris and woodpiles. If they’ve snuck inside your home, they can often be found under furniture, inside storage items, in baseboards, closets, and crawlspaces.
Wolf Spider
Wolf spiders are dark brown with paler stripes or markings and long, spiny legs. These spiders are large and hairy across their bodies. While these spiders will bite, it’s rare that they do and are not a significant threat to humans. Inside homes, wolf spiders tend to stay near or on the floor, especially along walls and under furniture where they chase their prey instead of capturing them in their webs. If outside, they like to inhabit firewood piles, leaves, yard debris, and stones.
Common House Spider
House spiders can vary in color but are usually yellow to brown with elongated abdomens. Although not a threat to humans, they are a nuisance to have in the home as they can produce and leave behind webs throughout the house. They can often be found in ceiling corners, under furniture, and inside closets, basements, garages, and crawlspaces. If outside, you will commonly find them spinning webs around windows, under eaves, and near light sources that attract food.
By recognizing each spider species and knowing where they most often inhabit, you can utilize the correct preventative measures to eliminate the chance of an infestation. Check out some of these easy do-it-yourself spider prevention tips:
- Keep garages, attics, and basements clutter-free.
- Avoid leaving clothes and shoes on the floor.
- Seal any cracks and crevices around the home.
- Call a professional pest control company. They will perform an inspection and provide you with the correct treatment and prevention plan for any spiders seen throughout your property.
